Welding tool



Mrch 8, '1938. G. HOGG ,Er AL 2,110,832

WELDING TOOL Filed June 22, 1954 z'sheets-Sheen 1 NM. WNANQNQN MNNNNN mm. NN QM. NW Ww n .nm NNI ww; QN mmz ww mw. uw. QM. www wm. IQW. WW

Mifchj, 1938. G. HOGG Er An.

WELDING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed June' 22, 1934 flfy- 7 ilifI// inn/fl.

l y J0 INVENTOlS WMU? M Patented vMar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE 2,110,832 WELDING froor.

Application June 22, '1934, Serial No. 731,912

` z2 claims.

Our invention relates to a welding tool, and in particular, tol a tool for carrying out the method disclosed and claimed in Patent No. 2,096,495, granted to-George Hogg on October 19, 1937, for

Method of construction. z

Inthe aforementioned co-pending application, there is disclosed and claimed a method of securing members such as structural elements to a metallic frame or support by welding to the latter a fastening member extending through the element to be attached to the frame or support. The advantages of such method are obvious and it is the object of our invention to provide a device whereby the method can be carried out `quilly and cheaply without requiring particularly s lled operatives.

` In accordance with our invention, we provide a tool which is adapted to receive a fastening member such as a nail and,` afterstriking an arc between the fastening member and the supportingframe, forcing the nail toward the support Yas it is fused and finally eifecting a weld therebetween.` As. pointed out in the co-pending application, uniform movement fof the fastening member toward the support during the fusing` period of the weld is important. Our invention therefore includes means for insuring such uniform movement.

Means are also provided for causing a rapid 80 vmovement ofthe nail toward the worlrv at the pletion of the weld.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment.

" In the drawings-V Figure 1 is a plan view of the tool; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of certain connections extending from the tool; Figures 3a and 3b together constitute a longitudinal sectional View to enlarged scale on the line III-moi Figure 1; l

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view along the line IV--IV of Figure' 3a;

Figure 5 shows the -tool with a fastening nail 50 held thereto by magnetic attraction;

. Figure 6 shows the insertion of the nail through the hole 1in the member to befastened until it engages thesupporting or frame member;

Figure `'l shows the rst stage of the welding 55 operation after the fusing of the'nail point;v

(Cl. 21S-4) The head Il has a spool portion I3 for receiving 10 a magnet coil I4. A sleeve I5 of insulating material is reciprocable axially of the head Il and has an enlargement I6 at one end thereof. 'I'he sleeve I5 extends outwardly of the spool I3 and has a removable nipple ll'ofinsulating material 16 threaded thereon. The nipple I1 has-radial ports Ila therein.

A plunger I8 is reciprocable Vin the sleeve I5 f and is of magnetic material to serve as a core for the coil Il. When the plunger I8 is mag- 20 netized by energization of the coil Il, it is effective to hold a nail I9 or other fastening means of magnetic material to the plunger prior to the formation of a weld between the end of Ithe nail and a metallic supporting member such as an 25 angle 20 for a member to be attached thereto such l as a furring strip 2l.

An extension plug 22 preferably of non-magnetic material is secured to the plunger I8 and a head 23 of steel is attached to the plug 22. A 80 radial bore 2l is formed inthe head II to receive a terminal post 25 threaded into the plug 22. A welding current supply conductor 2B is connected tothe post 25. The sleeve I5 and its enlargement IS are -normally forced outwardly of the 35 barrel Ill by a spring 21 bearing on the enlargement IG and on a plug 28 secured in thabarrel at a point spaced inwardly -from the end thereof.

A hammer 29 is reciprocable in the barrel I0 and has a projection 30 extending through the 40 plug 28 for engagement with. the head 23 on the plug 22 to deliver a blow to the plunger I8. A pin 3| extending transversely of the hammer slides in a slot in the barrel to prevent rotation of the hammer relative thereto. The rear end of the hammer is bored out to receive an enlarged head formed at the end of a pull rod 32.

A spring 33 normally forces the hammer 29 to, the illustrated position, but-it may be retracted, however, by the pull"frod 32." When thel latter is withdrawn, its head engages a plug 3l threaded y in the bore in the hammer 29. A handle' 35 is attached to the end of the rod 32 for convenience in setting the hammer. A pin lilon the handle detent 39 engages one of the notches 38, the

7' bored in advance, it is possible to drive the nails inthecaseofwoodmembers. Inthepreferredhammer is held in retracted position until tripped, as will be described later, and the handle may be thrust home and locked.

The barrel I0 is slotted 'at 4I and a push rod 42 extending along the barrel I0 has one end bent over to enter the slot`4i and a radial bore in the enlargement II of the sleeve I5. A tripper 42 is adjustably secured to the push rod 42 for engaging the detent 39 after a predetermined movement of the barrel l0 relative to the sleeve I5. The push rod 42 alsov carries a tripper 44 for operatingV a control switch 45 secured to the barrel lli.

A duid-check cylinder 45 is secured to the han- .dle end of the barrel lll .and is provided with a piston 41 having a. rod 4l extending outwardly thereof and connected to the end of the push rod 42 by a through the piston rod 44 on opposite sides of the piston 41 communicate with an axial bore 53 therethrough. A stem 54 is adjustable in the bore 52 for partially closing the inner section between the bore 55 and the bore 53. Axial bores 55 through the piston 41, together with a spring pressed valve disk 56, constitute a check valve for the piston. Ports 51 and 58 in the wall of the cylinder 45 are in communication through a by-passing passage 5s.

Before describing the voperation of the invenfoon, it wm be desirable to refer briefly to rigure 2. As there shown, a generator 5| or otherA convenient source of welding current has one terminal grounded on the frame or support exemplied by the angle 2l, to which the fastening member or nail Il is to be welded. The other terminal of the generator is adapted to be connected to the conductor 25 which is in contact with the plunger Il, by the operation of a contactor 0I controlled by the' switch 45. The control circuit including the switch 45 and the operating coil of the contacter Il may be connected to any convenient supply source indi- -cated at 42. It will be obvious that when the switch 45 is closed, the contactor 4I will operate to connect the plunger Il to the generator so that as soon as a nail or other fastener carried by the plunger' I.. makes contactwith the frame member 2l, welding current will i'iow with resuits to be described hereafter. v

,Thememberstobesecuredtothemetal'frame orsuppots are preferably bored to receive the nails or other fastening members. While we have taken as an example; the attachment of a wood furring strip 2 i .to an angle 2l, it will be apparent that the invention may be used for the attachment off'members of almost any character a metal frame or support. Examples of such \materials of other characters are pre-cast concrete or gypsum planks, or anyother composition of nonconducting character.l Instead of having .the holes for the nails or fastening members use of the invention, however, the holes in the membertobeattachedwillbeborediirstanda nailappliedtotheendoftheplunger lltobe u held thereon by the magnetization effected by clamp 49. Transverse bores Il and 5| tion of the invention, it will be apparent that performed thereby. These stag are the coil I4. The hammer 29 is then set or cocked and the switch 45 closed. The nail is then inserted in the hole, although the reverse procedure may be followed, namely, the insertion of the nail and then the placing of the end of the plunger i8 on the nail head. The length of nail used will generally be in proportion to the thickness of the member being attached, so that a suiiicient length of for the weld.

The switch 45 having been closed, forward movement of the tool causes the nipple I1 to engage the strip 2l. The spring 21 is compressed. and the engagement of the plunger with the nail and the nail with the frame member 24 completes the welding circuit whereupon current begins to flow therethrough.

The initial result of the ijiow of welding current is the fusion of the point of the nail I9. This leaves a slight gap between the end of the nail and the angle 20, and an arc is sprung across this gap. After contact has been made, the operator continues to push on the handle 25. The nipple i1 prevents movement of the sleeve I5 and the push rod 42. The rest of the tool, however. including the cylinder 46, moves toward the work as pressure is applied. The plunger Il is retracted until the post 25 engages the side of thebore 24.

4Because of the restricted opening between the the latter projects to provide material end of the nail I5 and the work 2l. During the maintenance of the arc, of course, a fused spot forms on the support member opposite the fused endofthenail. Bythetimethisspothasbeen' properly fused, the piston 41 in the cylinder 4l opens the port 51. so that the fluid remaining behind the piston is quickly released. with the result that the entire tool moves forward without the restraining effect of the huid check.

. This accelerated movement of the tool is communicatedtotheplunger ilandthenail Ilto bring the fused end of the nail and the fused spot on the support together. By this time, the tripper 4I has lifted the detent lt out of its notch 84 in the hammer 25, and the latter. bdng released. delivers a forging blow through the projection Il to the plunger I4, completing the weld between the nail and the frame member 2l and establish-l ing a permanent connection therebetween. At the same time, the tripper 44 opens the switch 45. The contactor tl thereupon opens tocut off the vwelding current. Any gases generated durim the continuance of the arc are permitted to escape through the port Ila.

After the completion of one operation, the hammer is re-set. the switch 45 closed and the tool is then ready for the next operation as has already been described. l

Prom the foregoing description of the opera method of welding including several stages shown Figures 5 through 9. Figure 9 illustrates the plication of the nail Il to the plunger' il is magnetisedby the coil I4. As previously explained, of course, the nail maybe inserted in .the work first and the plunger.. guided onto the nail. Ineithercase,thesecondstateofthe operation, shown in Figure "I, positions the nail I9 with its point on the frame member 20.

Assuming that the welding circuit has been completed by the closing of the control switch, welding current starts to flow assoon-as .the nail point engages the angle 20. Because of the small cross section of the nail point, fusion takes place almost immediately. This creates an arc 1 gap between the nail I9 and the frame member 20 as shown in Figure 7. 'I'he maintenance of the arc fuses, the nail back further and further from f n its point and also develops a fused spot in the member 20 opposite the nail. The nail isfed downwardly as fusion continues. When a sufflcient portion of the nail length has been fused off, the arc gap is closed as shown in Figure 8, by forcing the nail down so that its fused end engages the fused spot on the 'member 2D.

Under these conditions, the delivery of a `sharp blow to the nail head by the tripping of the hammer sets the nail with the top of its head flush with the surface of the strip 2|, and at `the same time drives the fused end of the nail lagainst the fused spot of the angle 20 with s ufcient'force to effect a-'sound, tight weld.

Figure 10 shows a mechanical chuck or holder which may be substituted for the magnet I 4 when non-ferrous nails are used. The chuck comprises a sleeve 65 threaded onto the end of the barrel I0, for reciprocably receiving the sleeve I5 and the plunger I8. Jaws 66 are pivoted on the end of the sleeve 65 and are urged to closed position by springs 61. 'I'he springs engage rearward eX- tensons 68 on the jaws 66, by which the latter may be retracted for the insertion "of a fastener such as the nail shown at 69. The jaws serve in an obvious way to hold ythe nailin contactl with the end of the plunger I8' preparatory to welding in the manner already described. The sleeve I 5c' is slotted at its end to permit entry of the jaws 66.

It has been found that a tool of the character l described makes it possible to fasten nails to steel frame members at the rate of about 100 per hour over considerable periods without any difficulty. Thel welds furthermore, are uniformly sound and strong. It has been found that the head of the nail will generally fail under tension before the weld between the shank of the nail and the frame member. The device di'sf closed herein is simple and inexpensive in construction, and reliable in operation. No particular skill is required to use it and, as stated, it is capable of very rapid operation. The automatic tripping of the hammer and the cutting oif of the welding current make it possible for the operator to confine his attention solely to *the problem of guiding the tool toward the nail and exerting the necessary pressure on, the former. The fluidcheck assures a' uniform rate of movement of the nail toward. the work as its end fuses. This establishes a 'very satisfactory welding arc which eiectsa permanent union when the weld is completed.' i,

It will be obvious that our invention is not limited to steel nails, since nails o f other material such as copper, may be welded just as readily to supporting frame members of steel or other metal which is capable of effecting a weld n ing covers up the steel at the bottom of the holemaking electrical contact difficult; and (2) this gypsum. dust unites-with the molten metal at the weld and tends to produce a weakvjoint.

Both these difficulties have been overcome by dropping salt water in the hole which does two things, viz: (1) it converts the dry gypsum dust which is a non-conductor of electric current into a wet paste which is enough of .an electrical conductor to serve our purpose; and (2) the salt apparently counteracts the weakening effect of the gypsum mentioned above and results in a strong weld.

It was also discovered that copper-plating the nails obtained a similar result in eliminating the weakening effect caused by the gypsum dust. The copper plating, however, does not correct the non-conductor effect Aoi the gypsum dust. Solutions other than salt water may be used, of

course, instead of the latter, the/ essential requirement apparently being that /they are-electrolytes, or form conducting pastes with the gypsum dust.

Although We have illustrated and described but one preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that numerous changes therein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope ofthe appended claims.

We claim:

l. In a welding tool, a barrel adapted to be.

`engaging means, means adapted tov be gripped manually for applyingV thrust to said fastener engaging means, and a yielding connection between said work-engaging means and said thrustapplying means whereby on application of thrust to said last-mentioned means a substantially uniform motion is imparted to said first-mentioned means.

3. In a fastener welding tool, a barrel, a head at one end of said barrel, a plunger reciprocable in said head adapted to engage a fastener, a sleeve reciprocable in said head surrounding said plunger, a' push rod connected to said sleeve and extending along saidv barrel, and a fluid check carried by said barrel for limiting movement of the push rod relative thereto.

4. The apparatus defined by claim3 characterized by a Foy-passing passage in said fluid check for releasing the pressure therein after a predeterminedmovement of the barrel relative to said sleeve.

5. The apparatus defined by claim 3 characterized by a. hammer reciprocable in said barrel adapted to deliver a blow to said plunger.

6. The apparatus defined by claim 3 chai-aterized by a hammer reciprocable in the barrel, means for cooking the. hammer including a trigger, and means for springing the trigger on pred eterminedrelative movement between the barrel and the fastener engaging means.

7. A welding tool comprising a. barrel adapted to be gripped and supported manually, a plunger reciprocable axially thereof for engagement with a fastener to be welded, means retractible on 'zoA 4 advancement of the barrel and plunger, and a uid check on said barrel connected to said means, for limiting the speed of advancement of the barrel and plunger.

8. .A welding tool comprising a barrel adapted to be gripped and supported manually, a plunger reciprocable axially thereof for engagement with a fastener to be welded, a switch on said barrel controlling the welding current, and means retractible on advancement of the barrel and plunger for operating the switch on predetermined axial movement relative thereto.

9. A welding tool comprising a barrel adapted to be gripped and supported manually, a plunger reciprocable axially thereof for engagement with a fastener to be welded, means retractible on advancement of -the barrel, electric-current supply means connected to said plunger, and a hammer reciprocable in said barrel and adapted to deliver a blow to said plunger when released by said retractible means.

10. The apparatus of claim 94 characterized by a spring for actuating the hammer, a trigger for releasing the hammer, and means operated by relative movement of the barrel and said re-l tractible means for springing the trigger.

`11. 'Ihe apparatus of claim 'l wherein said fluid check comprises two elements, viz., a piston and a cylinder carried on said barrel, one of said elements being rigidly connected to the barrel andthe other being movable relative thereto, and rigidly connected to said retractible means.

12. The apparatus of claim '7 wherein said retractible means comprises atubular member surrounding said plunger and adapted to engage a piece through which a fastener is to be welded to another piece, said tubular member being lreciprocable in mid barrel.

13. A portable hand tool for welding fasteners to metal members comprising a body, a` fastener-engaging memr carried by said body, a weldingcurrent supply connection on said membei', and a hammer reciprocable longitudinally of said body for delivering a blow to said member to set a fastener after ithas been heated sufiiciently to weld.

14. A portable hand tool for welding fasteners to a metallic support comprising a body, means movably mounted thereon to e'ngage a member being fastened, means for engaging a fastener, means for supplying current to said fastener-engaging means, and means for limiting the speed of lmovement of the body toward the work on application of force longitudinally of the body, to permit heating and progressive fusion of the fastener. a

15. The apparatus denned by claim 14 characterised by said -speed-limiting means being efterized by said limiting fective only throughout a portion of the moveto permit accelerated the fastener to said ment of the body, whereby movement thereof to .weld support. l

16. Apparatus for welding to a support fasteners extending through a member to be secured to said support comprising a body, means recipi'ocablel thereof to engage tener-engaging meansl carriedby said body. and means for limiting the movement of the body toward said member-engaging means to a slow uniform speedduring heating and fusion of said. fastener and a portionfof said support.

17. The apparatus dened by claim 18 characmeans being effective for only an initial portion of the `movement of the body, after which the body is accelerated to thrust the fastener home against the support.

i8. Apparatus for welding to a support fasteners extending through a member to be secured to'said support comprising a body, means reciprocable thereof to engage said member, a

said member, a fasfastener-engaging means carried by said body.

and means for causing the body to advance ioward the work at a low, uniform speed, upon the application of longitudinal thrust to thebody. during heating and fusion of the fastener, and means for subsequently causing the body to accelerate as a result of. said thrust, to drive the fastener against the support and weld it thereto.

19. Apparatus for l'welding to a' support fasteners extending through a member to be lecured to said support engaging means movably mounted on said body, and means on said body for limiting the speed of movement of the body toward saidI means when the latter is in engagement with the work and the former is subjected to longitudinal thrust, to provide heating and gradual fusion of the fastener preparatory to welding. 1

20. The apparatus defined by claim 19 characteriaed by said speed-limiting means being eifective only,in the' initial period of said movement, whereby the body is'nnally accelerated by said thrust and port to weld it thereto.

21. The apparatus dened by claim 19 abardrives the fastener against the sup-- comprising a body. work- 'l acterised .by means for nally applying an im-v y pact blow to the fastener to cause it to engage said member tightly. i

22. The apparatus dened by claim 16 charactermed by means for finally applying an impact blow to said fastener-engaging means whereby to cause the fastener to hold the member tightly against the support.

GEORGE noaa. JOHN w. man. asoma n. CARROLL 

